Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madrid and Calella

For one person, living is cheaper in Calella: $1,596 a month against $2,265 in Madrid, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Madrid, Spain
Calella, Spain
Madrid
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,265
/mo nomad
Calella
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,596
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madrid and in Calella

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madrid and in Calella actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Madrid vs $1,596 in Calella, rent included.

  • Madrid $2,265
  • Calella $1,596

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Madrid vs $2,366 in Calella, rent included.

  • Madrid $3,311
  • Calella $2,366

A family of three spends $4,356 per month in Madrid vs $3,137 in Calella, rent included.

  • Madrid $4,356
  • Calella $3,137

Madrid costs about 42% more than Calella, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Madrid and Calella sit above the global median – Madrid by 67%, Calella by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.06 €16.09
$14.73 €13.13
22.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.5 €59.3
$56.4 €50.3
17.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.40 €10.16
$8.03 €7.15
41.97%
Cappuccino
$3.03 €2.70
$2.49 €2.22
21.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.89
$2.33 €2.08
39.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.79 €1.59
29.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 €3.43
$3.46 €3.08
11.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 €4.30
$3.31 €2.95
45.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.11 €0.99
18.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 €1.44
$2.09 €1.86
-22.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 €1.56
$2.88 €2.57
-39.24%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.62
$3.03 €2.70
33.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.34 €14.57
$14.61 €13.03
11.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 €8.56
$8.31 €7.41
15.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.43 €15.53
$15.33 €13.66
13.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.48 €2.21
6.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.97 €1.76
10.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$1.58 €1.41
58.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.60 €2.32
$2.42 €2.15
7.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.25 €2.01
$1.79 €1.60
25.70%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.86 €1.65
11.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 €1.39
$1.38 €1.23
13.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.97
$0.62 €0.55
74.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70 €5.97
$6.96 €6.21
-3.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.82 €6.97
$5.56 €4.96
40.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.07 €0.95
14.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.43 €2.17
-7.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Madrid
Calella
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.46 €1.30
11.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.72 €33.62
$31.71 €28.26
18.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.40
$3.77 €3.36
1.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.24 €1.11
20.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.99 €26.73
$14.51 €12.93
106.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.60
$1.83 €1.63
-2.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$39.4K €35.1K
-14.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.6K
$31.0K €27.6K
7.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$190 €170
$117 €104
62.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.57 €15.66
$13.52 €12.05
29.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.34 €31.50
$25.05 €22.32
41.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.52 €44.13
$46.23 €41.20
7.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.20 €16.22
$17.63 €15.71
3.23%
Cinema Ticket
$11.09 €9.89
$8.35 €7.44
32.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €610
$560 €499
22.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K €16.2K
$9,945 €8,864
83.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.2
$62.6 €55.8
40.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 €37.49
$21.12 €18.82
99.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €98.5
$114 €101
-2.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €101
$160 €143
-29.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madrid
Calella
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 €1,345
$904 €805
67.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,162 €1,036
$684 €610
69.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,804 €2,499
$1,356 €1,208
106.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,867 €1,664
$1,011 €901
84.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,017 €8,037
$3,081 €2,746
192.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,294 €3,827
$1,932 €1,722
122.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madrid
Calella
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,495 €2,224
$1,725 €1,537
44.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.14
3.3
-4.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Madrid: October 18, 2026

Last update for Calella: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Madrid
$1.2K
Calella
$684 41.1% $478
Groceries & Markets
Madrid
$308
Calella
$273 11.3% $35
Eating Out
Madrid
$266
Calella
$212 20.3% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madrid
$243
Calella
$155 36.1% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Madrid
$159
Calella
$161 1.3% $2
Sport & Entertainment
Madrid
$72
Calella
$63 12.2% $8.8
Getting Around
Madrid
$56
Calella
$48 14.3% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,509 in Madrid versus $904 in Calella. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Madrid. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Madrid versus $56 in Calella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $273 – making Calella the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇪🇸 Calella
🕒 Local time
09:34 9:34 AM
09:34 9:34 AM
Same time as Madrid
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,332,035 Capital
19,862
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Madrid Calella 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Madrid
  • Calella

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Madrid vs Calella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calella cheaper than Madrid?
Yes – Madrid is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,398 per month in Madrid and $2,394 in Calella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calella, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $904 there versus $1,509 in Madrid.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Calella. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $684 per month in Madrid and $560 in Calella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Madrid or in Calella?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,265 in Madrid and $1,596 in Calella. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Madrid or Calella more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Calella – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Madrid or Calella?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Calella. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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